The Smuggler's Treasure
by super dork 10
Summary: Maggie, a servant of a wealthy merchant, is kidnapped by the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow, and is caught up in his latest quest for revenge and fortune. I'm finally working on a new chapter, but for now I'm just editting some old ones. Review please?
1. The Dress and the Kidnapping

It was an early spring morning. Too early, in my sleep-deprived opinion, to be up and scouring the Lady Jaquelene's living cabin for any evidence of dust or dirt. Not as if there would be dirt, as we were on a ship, crossing from England to Port Royale on the _Oro Bello_. I had to admit that early mornings in the Caribbean were much prettier than those in England. The sky was a brilliant blue, the sun sparkled on the blue-green water, and a warm breeze gently lifted the flags on the topmast of the ship.   
Unfortunately, when you work for someone like the Lady Jaquelene, there is no time to admire the warm beauty of an early tropical morning. Lady Jaquelene was the daughter of Sir Richard Dunnmore, a noble-born merchant, whose wealth was rumored to be the greatest in all of England, second only to the King himself. Lady Jaquelene led a life of incredible wealth and privilege, and, as a result, was an absolute priss. She always insisted that her rooms be swept and dusted everyday, and I was usually the one who had to do the dusting and sweeping. I took one last look at the brilliant Caribbean sunshine and with a sigh stepped into the dim cabin. Lady Jaquelene kept most of her clothes, some furniture and other belongings she used everyday in this room. I pulled opened the curtains to let the light in and grudgingly started my chores, feeling mutinous toward my employer. Only Sir Dunnmore would be able to afford a ship so large his daughter could have two rooms, one for her to sleep in and one for her things.   
But for as much as I despised working for the Dunnmores, there was one chore that I almost enjoyed. Every day I had to polish the mirror inside her wardrobe, which gave me the perfect opportunity to admire the dozens of beautiful dresses Jaquelene owned, the finest I have ever seen anyone wear. There was one dress inside this wardrobe that was by far the most exquisite. It was The Dress that was designed just for her to wear at her debutante ball when she arrived in Port Royale. I had been fascinated with The Dress since I first saw it, and since then I was constantly staring at it, always wishing I could be the one who went debutante ball, wearing The Dress, dancing with the most handsome man in Port Royale. And it was this morning (of all mornings!) that a sneaky idea crept into my head. What if I, just for a few minutes of course, tried on The Dress? Lady Jaquelene was asleep, and she would be for another few hours. Everyone else had his or her own business to attend to; no one would be near this cabin for quite a while. What could it possibly hurt?   
Tentatively, I slid into The Dress, and gasped at my reflection. The effect the dress had on me was amazing. It made even my messy braids and plain shoes look like the height of Parisian fashion. I spent a good while admiring the affect of The Dress, the way the skirt spun every time I twirled, the way the color made my eyes look greener and generally prettier than they normally do. I tried a flirtatious smile at my reflection, and saw myself at the ball, being admired by all of gentleman and envied by all of the ladies.   
A sudden crash outside and the sound of men's shouting brought me abruptly out of my daydream. A few gunshots went off, and a voice I didn't recognize was yelling something. Forgetting about everything else, I rushed toward the door and flung it open to see what was going on, and screamed. Pirates! Chaos ensued on the main deck, as a group of pirates climbed from their ship onto ours and fought our sailors fiercely. The Jolly Roger flew ominously over their ship.   
Suddenly, someone came from behind me and grabbed me around my waist and pulled me out of the doorway to the center of the deck. I screamed and kicked until the pirate put something cold and round on my temple and I knew right away that it was a gun. I stopped midscream.   
"NOBODY MOVE!" Yelled the pirate from behind me.   
The fighting stopped instantly. I could see Sir Dunnmore in the crowd staring at me, and then looked at the pirate, and looking like he was about to faint. He kept looking from me, to the pirate, back to me again, obviously wondering what the blazes was going on. I silently cursed myself for my puerile game of dress-up. I just had to try on that stupid dress. And now I was going to end up getting shot.   
''Well, well, well, if it isn't Richard!" The pirate said, sounding a little shocked but nonetheless menacing. "Fancy meeting you again!" he snarled. "Well, I don't intend on harming the darling Miss Dunnmore if and only if you and all of your crew do exactly as I say."   
I stared at Sir Dunnmore, pleading silently for him to not give me away. For what purpose would the pirate have in keeping me alive if I was not a valuable hostage? He'd simply shoot me and find the real Lady Dunnmore.   
Fortunately, Sir Dunnmore seemed to be thinking along the same lines, and simply replied, "What do you want?"   
"I want everything in the hold, Richard. That should be quite a fortune, if I remember correctly."   
Sir Dunnmore blanched, but to everyone's surprise gave the orders to the crew without question or protest. "You heard him!" He shouted to the crew, "Everything below deck! Comes up!"   
The crew, looking very puzzled at the strange behavior of their Captain, nonetheless followed orders and went below deck to retrieve the cargo. I fervently wished for them to move faster. All I could think about was how incredibly stupid I was. Why did I have to try on The Dress? Why did I even leave the safety of the cabin? Meanwhile pirates and crew alike were bringing all the cargo up from the hold. And there was a lot of cargo. There was all of the luggage, as well as a full shipment of wine from England. Sir Dunnmore never missed an opportunity to make a profit.   
"That is everything," Sir Dunnmore spat, "Now kindly return my...daughter." He put a lot of emphasis on "daughter".   
But instead of releasing me, the pirate said softly, "Richard...you know and I know that thar be more beneath yer ship than that."   
Now Sir Dunnmore was looking very strained. "See for yourself, there's nothing."   
The pirate pulled back the hammer on his gun, making a very ominous click. My heart was pounding, and I could barely breathe from sheer terror. I braced myself for the shot.   
"What's more important, Richard, yer business or yer only daughter," the pirate challenged.   
Sir Dunnmore just stood there speechless, never taking his eyes off the pirate and me. I was beginning to think this was all a horrible dream. It was absurd to think that there were really pirates! Actual pirates! Attacking the _Oro_! And me in Jaquelene's dress! It was so crazy I could have laughed, if I couldn't feel the cool pressure of the pirate's gun against my temple, ready to shoot.   
"Very well...You leave me no choice but-" He stopped suddenly, as if changing his mind. "Tell ye what. There's an island several miles north of this very spot. You bring everything else you be keeping in that hold of yourn to said island in exactly one weeks time and I'll return your daughter." He backed up slowly, still keeping his gun to my head and his arm around my waist. He shouted to his crew, "Back to the Pearl gentlemen!"   
Suddenly realizing what was going on, I started to scream, "NO!! I'M NOT--" But before I could finish, he lifted his gun from my temple and hit his gun against my head, and everything went black.


	2. Jack's Disovery

I woke up the next morning (or was it the next week?) lying on a feather mattress surrounded by the most amazing hoard of treasure I had ever seen. Was I dead? I sat up quickly, but my head throbbed so terribly I had to lie back down. The memory of the pirate and The Dress and the kidnapping suddenly rushed back to me. I wasn't dead, but I was a hostage on a pirate ship. Not much better off.

Sitting up slowly this time, still painfully aware of the large lump the gun left, I looked around the hold. Some of the treasure was familiar, but most of it I had never seen before. I got up and started looking through the mountains of silver and gold. I found the most exquisite pearl and ruby bracelet just lying on a pile of other equally priceless jewels. I couldn't resist trying it on. I picked up something useful as well, a small pistol I found in a chest of weapons. It seemed like a good idea to have it with me, should something go wrong, so I slid it into a pocket in The Dress. Just then I heard footsteps coming down the stairs to the hold. I whirled around and tried to look innocent.

"Well, well, look who's finally awake!" The voice sneered. "I see you're admiring me hoard! Well, I'm sure it's nothing compared to what your father has lying around his palace!"

I recognized that voice! It belonged to the pirate who kidnapped me! I stared at the man who had so recently threatened my life. I had to admit, he was a lot more handsome than I thought he would be. I wasn't quite sure how to reply to him, so I simply glared at him through narrowed eyes.

He laughed, and spoke mockingly, "What's the matter, princess? Are the accommodations on the Pearl not up to royal standards? Just name whatever it is ye want, princess! We are but yer humble servants!"

My eyes widened with shock. I was on the Black Pearl! I've heard stories about this ship! I've heard it was crewed by the damned, and captained by a man so evil that Hell itself spat him back out! I've never heard anything about taking hostages, though. The Pearl has never left any survivors.

"This...This ship is the Black Pearl?" I asked.

The pirate grinned, proudly. "So you've 'eard of it, aye?"

"But...I thought it wasn't in the policy of the Pearl to take hostages?"

"She's under new management."

"So you're not the infamous captain in all the legends, are you?"

"M'lady, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow! I've enough of me own legends, with or without the Pearl. Savvy?"

"Well, Mr. Sparrow--"

"That's Captain Sparrow!" He interrupted.

I rolled my eyes and continued in an imperious tone. "Well, Captain Sparrow, I demand that I be served something to eat. I am quite famished."

"Very well princess," Captain Sparrow replied sarcastically. "If you would follow me to the dining hall our chef shall serve you the finest gourmet cooking in the Caribbean."

He turned and started up the stairs, and I hurried after him. I followed him into the Captain's cabin. The first thing I noticed was a table with all manner of delicious-looking foods set on it. I sat down and began to eat ravenously. Jack sat down across from me and poured himself a pint.

After watching me wolf down half of a fish, several helpings of potatoes, three pieces of pork, two glasses of wine, and a slice of bread, he asked, "I suppose table etiquette was not of high priority at the palace, eh princess?"

I reached for another slice of bread as I replied coldly, "But you were quite the gentlemen when you threatened to kill me."

"Believe me, princess, you could have been a lot worse off than me," he said darkly. I chose not to think about how much worse off I could have been. I suddenly remembered a mysterious detail about the kidnapping.

"Captain Sparrow," I asked, "How did you know Sir—My fathers—name?"

He smiled mirthlessly. "I know a lot more about yer father than you do, princess." He said that in such a way that I knew the subject was closed, and I had to hold back the hundreds of new questions his answer brought up. "Ye know, princess, I never learned yer name." He said, changing the subject.

"I didn't have much of a chance to give it, between having a gun to my head then being unconscious and all," I retorted. "It's Jaquelene. _Lady_ Jaquelene."

"It's been a pleasure to make your acquaintance Lady Jaquelene, but now I must take my leave. I have a ship to captain, ye know." He rose from his chair, bowed dramatically, and started toward the door.

"You know, it's frightfully rude to rise from the table before a lady does."

Jack stopped and turned towards me again, frowning slightly, as if pondering some serious dilemma. "No, I do believe 'tis the other way around. It's frightfully rude not to rise from the table when a lady does."

Perhaps he was right. I always found the etiquette of high society to be a bit confusing. But I wasn't going to let Jack know that. As far as he knew, I _was _high society. "I believe I have a bit more authority on the subject than you do, captain," I said haughtily.

"Very well then, princess," he replied in a mock-serious tone. "And just what is the proper etiquette for a situation like this?"

I pretended to take his question into deep consideration. "I suppose you may startgiving me the grand tour ofthe rest of your little boat."

"Ship!" He corrected. I waved my hand, as if brushing away such trivialities. Jack smiled slightly as he bowed again, this time extending his hand toward me. "If you please, Princess Jaquelene."

With exagerrated daintiness I placed my hand onto his and stood up. Unfortunatly, I had unthinkingly given him the arm wearing his bracelet. My prayers he wouldn't notice went unanswered.

"This looks familiar," he mused, looking at me with that same slight smile playing beneath his moustache.

He turned my hand over, inspecting the bracelet. "Decided to help yourself to a bit of---" he stopped abruptly, staring at my hand in shock, his smile entirely gone.

With a growing feeling of dread, I started to pull my hand back but he grabbed it and pulled it toward him roughly, and stared at my palm, eyes wide with disbelief. I knew what he was seeing.

"What...? Where...?" Jack sputtered. He was speechless, and I knew exactly why. Seared into the flesh just beneath my thumb was a "T", not grotesquely large but big enough to be noticed. It was the brand of a thief who had been caught.

"What is this?" Jack finally asked. He said it quietly and ominously, and I was much more afraid than I would have been if he had shouted it.

"Umm, a birthmark?"

"Who are you?" he demanded, completely ignoring my pathetic attempt at a ruse.

I stammered a bit, before settling on the truth. "I'm Maggie. Maggie Elden. I'm a servant of Lady Jaquelene."

Jack looked at me in disbelief, staring at my dress, then at the brand, then at the dress again. I decided to explain the brand first.

"Before I was hired by Sir Dunnmore, I made my way as a theif on the streets of London. Until I got caught, that is, and had to find honest employment." I felt this to be a bit of an unfair understatement. I wasn't just any poor hungry urchin who stole their living; I was notorious among the London underworld, reputed to be able to steal anything from anyone. I near believed it, too, until I was arrested. But I couldn't tell Jack any of that yet. He looked too bewildered as it was.

"And Sir Dunnmore dresses all of his servants this fine, I wonder?"

I winced. Never in my life had I felt so incredibly stupid. "Erm...I was...trying it on. Just to see how it looked," I replied, somewhat lamely.

Jack dropped my hand, and started to pace. Ever so often he would look up at me, then would go back to pacing. Finally, he looked up at me and said, "I'm sorry, Miss Elden, but I can see no other solution to this situation of ours but to kill you."

I felt a sharp drop in my stomach. "Kill me! But...But couldn't you just leave me off somewhere? Next civilized port you stop at?" I pleaded, desperately bargaining for my life.

"But how can I trust ye not to scurry over to the nearest authorities at that civilized port? Believe me, Miss Elden, I am terribly sorry. But I have to look out for the best interests of the Pearl, savvy?"

I racked my brain for some way out of this, and suddenly remembered the pistol I had stowed in my dress pocket. If there was ever a good time to use it, now was it. I pulled it out and, taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I pointed it toward Jack.

"What about your own best interests, Captain Sparrow?" I said, hoping that I sounded far more sure than I felt. He looked startled, to say the least, to be staring down the barrel of him own gun.

"Where did you get that?" He demanded.

"The T on my hand doesn't stand for trustworthy," I said. "Now I don't intend on shooting, but if and only if you swear on pain of death not to harm me."

"You wouldn't shoot," Jack scoffed. "Do you intend on taking over the whole ship after you've done me in?"

I pulled back the hammer. "What difference would that make to you?" Now I knew I sounded far more confident than I felt. To be honest, I had no idea if I would have shot him or not.

Fortunately, Jack didn't seem very keen to find out if I was bluffing or not, for he said, "Very well, Miss Elden. I swear, on me honor as a pirate, that I will not harm a hair on your head. You're free to leave whenever you would like."

I lowered the gun, very, very relieved. "Agreed," I said, "Now, if you'd be very kind as to move out of my way, I should like to go above deck and get some fresh air." I stood up, and Jack moved to let me pass.

"You know," Jack called after me, "you may dive off the side of the ship right now if you'd like! Far be it from me to stop you!"

I responded by slamming the door on my way out.


	3. A Pirate's Life

The next few days on the Pearl passed without incident. I traded The Dress for a lighter (though far less pretty) cotton one from AnaMaria. I didn't really have anything to do, just some odd chores to do from time to time whenever I bothered the wrong crewmember at the wrong time. Mostly, I would shadow Mr. Gibbs, who was easily the most talkative member of the crew, and from him I learned many useful things about pirate life, such as how to tie sailors' knots (knots are very important on ships, as it were), and thirty- seven new ways to insult someone (insults are also very important on ships). He was also very fond of telling lengthy tales about Jack's and his adventures on the Pearl, and he swore that every word was the living truth. I had my doubts, but they were still exciting to hear nonetheless.  
  
On occasion I'd follow Jack about the ship. He would mostly just listen to my incessant chatter, but the best times were when he would chatter back. He could be quite hilarious without even trying, and there was something about him that made me want to spend all my time with him. There were also times when it was best to avoid him, however. I learned the hard way that bothering Jack at the wrong time resulted in him bellowing (or muttering, depending on his mood) a multitude of curses.   
  
But before long I found that it wasn't nearly as exciting to be on a pirate's ship as I had imagined it to be. There was no more pilfering or pirating, no searching for buried treasure. In fact, it was almost like being on the Oro Bello, only the company on the Pearl was much better, and I never had to dust anything that clearly did not need to be dusted. I found myself wishing that something exciting would happen, but when I voiced this to Mr. Gibbs he scolded me and told me to knock on wood.

"Frightful bad luck to make a wish like that, Miss Elden! Ye never know when something like that might come true..."

Little did any of us know, it would. The very next morning, in fact.

I awoke that morning to the sound of cannon fire. I sprang out of bed and hurried to the top deck, where I could see a smaller ship a little ways off, firing at the Pearl. Jack was yelling orders to return fire, and the crew was scrambling to follow them as quickly as possible. I hurried over to Jack.

"Captain, what's going on?!" I demanded.

"What does it bloody look like?!" He shouted back, "We're being bloody fired on!! Now make yerself useful or get out of the way!"

I ran below deck to help Mr. Gibbs and Mr. Cotton load the cannons to return fire. The attacking ship was drawing closer. Soon, it was close enough to see the people aboard, even through the smoke of the cannons, and it wasn't long before they were close enough to board. The cannon fire stopped, as firing this close-range on the enemy wasn't helpful to either side.

"ALL HANDS TO THE MAIN DECK!" Mr. Gibbs ordered.

"AYE SIR!" I shouted back with the crew, and hurried up to the deck to join the fight that was already taking place above.

I rushed up the stairs, full of adrenaline, but froze when I reached the top. I had seen battle and bloodshed before (on the Oro, of course), but that wasn't as brutal as this. Watching people I had thought were quite friendly fiercely impaling the other pirates with swords was most shocking. I could not move, but only stared in horror as one of the sailors of the Pearl shove his sword into someone else's chest, then move on mercilessly to the next victim as the first pirate fell to the ground in a pool of blood. I felt dizzy and kind of sick, but I knew I had to join battle or find somewhere to hide, both very unappealing options. But my choice was made for me as one of the other pirates stepped in front of me, with a sickening grin on his face.

"'Ello, m'lady!" He snarled as he swaggered forward. "And what might a pretty lass like you be doing aboard such a ship?"

He was now so close I could smell his foul breath. I looked around frantically for help, but all I saw was a wounded guy with a sword. That would have to work. In one swift movement I picked up his sword and swung it wildly in front of me. The surprised pirate ducked and backed away. Still carrying the sword, I stepped into battle. No more deliberating for me.

Almost immediately another pirate attacked, expecting an easy fight, no doubt. I proved him wrong by blocking his first few swings and ducking from another. I attempted a lunge but he knocked the sword out of my hand and grinned. What was with these bastards and smiling?! I pulled out my gun and squeezed the trigger, then moved on, a little disturbed by how easy it was to end a life. I reminded myself that I had no choice. It was either him or me.

Soon I came across Jack, who was sword-fighting another pirate. I stood transfixed by the fight. Jack's sword skills were amazing. He fought with flourishing movements, yet at the same time was deadly swift. It was clear who was the better fighter in this match, and it wasn't long before Jack had knocked the sword from the pirate's hand and knocked him to the ground. He stood above the pirate and pointed his sword at his throat.

"Call off yer men, ye scurvy bastard," Jack snarled.

Nerveously, the fallen pirate called, "SURRENDER! We surrender men!" Instantly all of his men dropped their swords, and there were a few cheers from our side.

"Who sent ye, Basingstoke? Yer too cowardly to ever come after the Pearl on yer own."

The pirate called Basingstoke shifted uncomfortably, then said, "'Twas Sir Dunnmore, Cappin Sparrah! Hired us to sink yer ship, sir! 'E offered us a boatload of wealth, 'twas no way we could resist!" He looked up anxiously. "Yer not gonna kill us, are ye?"

Jack smiled mirthlessly. "No, I'm not gonna kill ye. Yer not worth me time. But if I ever see you or yer crew or that termite-bitten hunk of wood ye call a ship again, I swear to the depths of Davy Jones' locker I will. And you can pass that message on to Dunnmore."

Jack stepped aside so Basingstoke could get up. He and the rest of the invading pirates rushed off the ship faster than I have ever seen anyone move before. Jack then turned around to address the crew of the Pearl, but stopped as he saw me.

"What are you doing up here, Miss Elden?" He stared at the sword I was still carrying. "Ye didn't do any fighting, did you?" He asked, sounding a bit anxious.

I nodded, suddenly feeling quite shaken by everything that had happened.

"Are you hurt?" He asked, stepping closer and gently touching my arm.

The kindness in this gesture among all the carnage of the battle made me want to cry, but I swallowed any tears and said firmly, "No, I'm alright."

He still looked worried. "Go lie down in me cabin, love. You don't look well."

He guided me into his captain's quarters with a protective arm around me. I lied down on a couch as he poured me a glass of brandy to calm my nerves. Then he left, and I was alone with my thoughts. Eventually, with help from the brandy, of course, I fell into a fitful sleep, but instead of the nightmares of battle I expected, all I saw was Jack.

Later that night I woke up. The cabin was pitch black, and I could hear Jack faintly snoring in the background. I knew there was no use in getting up, as there was nowhere to go, but I also knew I couldn't get back to sleep. So I lay awake, and let my mind wander to places it didn't normally go. Like the attack from Basingstoke. Something didn't seem right about that whole affair. Why would Dunnmore want to sink the Pearl instead of just getting back his treasure? And why would he hire pirates to do the job? There was something very odd about that, to be sure. I just couldn't place what it was.


	4. The Proposition

A few days later I was summoned into Jack's cabin. Right away, I knew something was amiss. Nobody was ever "summoned" into Jack's cabin. In fact, no one else ever went in it (except me, as my status on the ship was somewhere between crewmember and guest of the captain and I pretty much roamed wherever I pleased).

"Miss Elden, I have a proposition for you," He stated as I entered. His tone made me nervous.

"What sort of proposition, Jack?" I asked warily.

He took a swig of rum and settled back in his seat, resting his feet on the table. "I need you to steal a little something for me."

I'm not sure exactly what I expected to hear, but it certainly wasn't that. "I'm terribly sorry Jack, but I've sworn off stealing for a long time. I'm reformed now." That was a lie. I was fully planning on taking a good bit of Jack's swag with me when I was returned to land. I saw no point in stranding myself in a foreign city with nothing but the clothes on my back. (To my credit, I did feel a little guilty about this one. Jack was very kind, not to mention incredibly good looking.)

Jack just smiled, as if he could see through my façade. "Indeed ye are, Miss Elden."

"Why couldn't you just steal this little something yourself?" I asked.

"'Twould cause too much suspicion."

"So what exactly am I stealing?"

"A treasure map." Jack grinned.

"You have got to be joking. A treasure map? Isn't that a little cliché?"

Jack was beginning to look annoyed. "Has anyone ever told you that you ask too many questions? I need this map so I can find the cache of the most notorious rumrunner in the Spanish Main. I'm going to find him, and I'm going to kill him."

I wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. I was completely bewildered. "And just why is it so much less suspicious for me to steal this?"

"Because," said Jack, clearly enjoying my confusion, "you were his servant a little while back, an' if you can get yer job back, you'll be able to find the map and take it without anyone noticing."

Now I knew Jack was fooling me. It was an odd sort of prank, to be sure. "Very funny, Jack. But my only employer was Sir Dunnmore."

"Aye," Jack nodded.

"That's absurd! Sir Dunnmore is not a rumrunner," I replied, half laughing. Did he honestly think I was a fool?

"Are you sure?"

I stared at Jack, searching for some sign that he was lying. He stared back; there was no sign of laughter in his kohl-lined eyes.

"That's absurd..." I repeated, a little less convinced. "How are you so sure of this?"

"I've fairly sound evidence," Jack said darkly. I got the feeling this wasn't something he cared to talk about.

"And why do you—"

"What did I tell you about all those questions, Maggie? Now can you steal this map, or can ye not?"

"B'fore I can agree to this, I've one more question." Seeing the look on Jack's face, I quickly added, "Just one more! I promise! What would I get out of this, should I decide to do it? There's a lot of risk in it for me if I'm caught, you know."

"Let's just say that after this little venture ye shall have more than enough swag to ne'er 'ave to work for anyone ever again. Savvy?"

I smiled, imagining all that wealth. "Very well, Jack. I shall steal this map for you. What do I have to do?"

"Somewhere in that palace of 'is Dunnmore keeps a map showing where 'is cache is. I need you to go back to Dunnmore, pretend to be 'is little servant again, and when you find the opportune moment, find the map and take it."

"I see," I said slowly, thinking. It did sound exciting. I could see myself tip-toeing through the Dunnmore's dark mansion, swinging open a secret panel in the wall, and pulling out a large, tattered roll of parchment. I could also see myself being caught by an enraged Sir Dunnmore, and swinging lifeless from the noose the very next morning. I shuddered at the thought.

I must have looked a little nervous, for Jack said gently, "Don' worry, Maggie. I've avoided the noose more times than I can remember. I won't let anything 'appen to you."

He smiled reassuringly, and despite the knotted feeling in my stomach I had to smile back. He had the most amazing eyes, dark and mysterious but with a strange sense of humor. They were the kind of eyes you could get lost in, if you weren't careful. I wondered if there was ever a chance that—

"You alrigh' there, Maggie?" Jack interrupted my thoughts. I could feel myself blushing. How long had I just been sitting there?

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said. Jack probably thought I was the biggest idiot to ever find herself aboard the Pearl. "I think I'd better go." _Before I can do anything else stupid_, I thought.

"We'll be arrivin' in Port Royal in a few days!" Jack called as I left his cabin, reminding me of what I was doing there in the first place. _Focus on the task at hand_, I told myself. Despite Jack assurances, there was no way I could risk being caught again.


	5. Moonlight Serenade

_I saw my target. He was tall, with a white powdered wig and a gilded waistcoat, with pockets no doubt filled with a fair amount of gold. I sped up my walk slightly to pass him. And as I did, I deftly slid my hand into his pocket and lifted up the prize: a heavy velvet coin purse. But as soon as I got the purse out, a massive hand gripped my wrist, so tightly I feared it would break. A wave of shock and terror ran through me. I tried to scream but no sound came out. I looked at the man who had my wrist, and to my surprise it was Sir Dunnmore. He was roaring "Thief! Wench!" and a crowd was gathering and they were screaming "Hang the thief!" Suddenly I was on a platform, and a noose was around my neck, drawing tighter and tighter, until I couldn't breathe, no matter how I struggled..._

I woke up gasping for air. I put my hands to my throat, still feeling of the pressure of the rope around my neck. It had all felt so real! I took a few deep breaths, but still felt stifled. I needed air. I stood up and went above deck; clinging to the railing on the way up. My knees were shaking almost too badly to walk, but somehow I made it up the stairs and out into the cool night air. Millions of stars twinkled against an inky black sky, and soon I felt like I could think again.

These nightmares (for this wasn't the first) were painfully similar to the day that I was caught the first time, and they were no doubt caused by my acquiescence to Jack's plan. The more I thought about it the more I knew that I wasn't going to be able to carry out the heist. I would be caught, just like the last time, and sent straight to the noose. Although the night air cleared my head of the shadows of the nightmare, by no means did I feel better. I had many doubts about the whole scheme to murder Sir Dunnmore.

For one thing, I didn't even know much about it. All I knew was my little role in stealing a map. And even that had too many things that could go wrong. Suppose Dunnmore decided not to give me my job back? And even if he did, how was I supposed to find this map? Dunnmore lived in a bloody mansion; there were a million and one places that map could be! And if I did find a map, how would I know if it's the right one?

I hated myself for even thinking these thoughts. I had agreed! There was no way I could go back on my word to Jack; it would be far too cowardly a thing to do.

"Who be out there?" A familiar voice called out. I jumped, startled, only to realize that it was Mr. Gibbs, on the night watch.

"It's me," I replied.

"Mother's love! Maggie! What are you doing up at such an hour?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"Aye, ye don't sleep much, do ye?" Another figure emerged from the shadows, and suddenly I felt the nervous pit at the bottom of my stomach lessen. Jack always seemed to have that effect on me.

"This isn't the first night I've 'eard ye walkin' about up here," Mr. Gibbs added. I blushed a little. Did the entire crew know of my sleeping habits?

"Ye should take to drinking, Mags," Jack said, slurring a little. "A pint o' this'll put ye righ' to sleep."

"It doesn't seem to work for you," I observed. Jack moved as if he was going to reply, but then gave up and took another swig from his flask.

I decided that Jack's state could be used to my advantage to find out a bit more about his plan. "So tell me Jack," I said sweetly, "Why exactly do you hate Dunnmore so much?"

Jack responded with a torrent of curses on Dunnmore and all his family. I looked to Mr. Gibbs for clarification.

"Well, 'twas nigh ten years back, when Jack was cap'n o' the Pearl the firs' time around, when he attacked this ship called the Shine of the Sea, in search of treasure. What he found was Sir Dunnmore, who also happened to be the leader of the most notorious smuggling ring in the Caribbean. The Navy 'ad been after them for well on five years at that time, and still hadn't a bloody clue how to find them. Anyways, Dunnmore told Jack that he would hire him as a rumrunner should Jack leave his ship. Well, rum running was something Jack had yet to try, so he agreed. An' things went well for a while. Jack and the crew made a nice little fortune with the smuggling, but it wasn't long before there began to be some dissension between Jack and Dunnmore."

"Tha's because Dunnmore's a bloody bastard!" Jack spat.

"Aye, an' to make matters worse the Navy was closing in on Dunnmore and the whole operation. So Dunnmore framed Jack an' 'is crew for everything, an' since Jack was the captain he was the one who was sentenced to the noose."

"How did you escape?" I asked, slightly awestruck. Jack started laughing. Again, I looked to Mr. Gibbs.

"Well, in the jail where 'e was kept they 'ave a custom of giving prisoners their last rites before they're execution. So when the priest came in, Jack quickly and quietly subdued 'im, stole 'is vestments and cloak, and strode right out o' the cell."

"And no one noticed that a humble priest sudden became a dreadlocked pirate?"

"The cloak 'ad a hood an' no one could see me face," Jack explained.

"So Jack was walking through the streets of the port town, and 'e passed a church, an' he's stopped by a man who was standing outside it. Apparently there was a wedding waiting to go on, an' the priest who was supposed to marry the couple was lying in Jack's jail cell. Now Jack knew 'e didn't have much time to waste, but he also felt guilty about ruining the poor couple's wedding."

"Jack, suffering from conscience?" I asked jokingly.

"Conscience would have been feeling guilty about knocking out their little priest! I'm not sure what you'd call taking his place..." Jack mused.

"You didn't!" I said in exaggerated disbelief.

"Aye, I did. And I promise you that's a wedding no one's going to forget." And he started laughing again. I could only imagine what kind of havoc Jack could wreck on something like that.

We sat on the steps leading to the helm and talked for a while longer. A little later Mr. Gibbs left to go to sleep, but I still felt as wide awake as ever. Meanwhile Jack was animatedly telling me about some other adventures he had been on.

"An' there was a hundred, no two hundred, pirates in that cave! Two hundred of the fiercest, most bloodthirsty pirates in all the world! An' they were set to kill me, an' Will, but we had to fight 'em off until Will got the chance to lift the curse. An' once he dropped the bloody medallion into the stone chest, I shot Barbossa right through his black 'eart!"

I smiled and nodded, not quite sure what Jack was talking about. "You must have been terrified going against all those pirates," I said breathily. Immediately I realized how dumb that sounded, and felt my cheeks turn a bright pink.

But Jack just laughed and said boldly, "Terrified? I wasn't terrified 'tall! 'Twas those pirates who're terrified o' me!"

I leaned a little closer into him and looked up into his dark kohl-lined eyes. "Of course not. You're Captain Jack Sparrow," I murmured.

"The most fearsome pirate in the whole world," he whispered. And before either of us knew what was happening, we both leaned in closer and kissed. It was slow and surprisingly sweet, and ended far too soon. Immediately my mind exploded with questions, mostly along the lines of: _What the blazes just happened?!_ Was there actually something between us? Or was it just the effect of a warm Caribbean night and a little too much rum?

But I didn't have much time to reflect on this, for Jack was leaning in, and we kissed again; this one was longer and much better than the first. But this magical moment was somewhat dampened by the strong taste of rum in Jack's mouth. And it was then that I suddenly became aware of what was going on: _He's bloody drunk_, I thought sadly, _and there's only one thing he's after_. Well, I wasn't some pirate's strumpet, not even if the pirate was Captain Jack Sparrow.

"I have to go, Jack." I said, slightly apologetically. I stood up and went back below, feeling very confused and leaving Jack rather disappointed.


	6. Welcome to Port Royal

The next morning I saw land, for the first time in months.

"Jack! Jack, look! It's Port Royal!" I cried, bounding up the stairs to the helm where he was steering the ship toward the island.  
  
"I know, Maggie, that's where I'm taking the ship." Jack said, annoyed.

"Apologies, Jack," I said, not feeling sorry at all. It wasn't my fault he was hung over. "When will we be arriving?" I asked.  
  
"Not long now, an hour, maybe," Jack replied. I ran over to the side of the ship and leaned out, staring at the island in the distance. I could see lush tropical forests and sandy white shores. I had only heard stories of these things back in England, and now I was finally here. Seeing land again put me in the most wonderful mood. Any apprehensions I had had were forgotten, and I couldn't wait to go ashore.  
  
About an hour later we were about 100 yards from shore. Jack came down from the helm and gave the orders to lower the lifeboat.  
  
"Anamaria! Yer in charge 'til we get back. Meet us here in three days time, savvy?"  
  
"Aye," she said.  
  
"Miss Elden!" Jack called. "We're going to shore."  
  
I followed him into the lifeboat, and Jack rowed us to shore. When we hit the beach I was first to jump out on to the perfect white sand. That was a mistake. I had not touched solid ground in months, and I felt as if the beach was rocking back and forth, like a ship. I stumbled forward, but was caught by Jack, who had gotten out of the boat a little more gracefully.  
  
"You'll need to get yer land-legs back, Maggie," he said, laughing. "Don't worry though. It's a lovely little walk to Port Royal; you'll have plenty of time." He started walking towards the forest, and I hurried to catch up with him.  
  
"Aren't there any docks closer to Port Royal?" I asked, wondering just what kind of city this was.  
  
"Of course there are, but a notorious pirate ship such as the Pearl just can't go sailing into a busy port. We need the element of surprise for all this to work."  
  
"Just how far is this lovely little walk?"  
  
"Less'n a mile, love, stop complaining."  
  
"I'm not complaining!" I said defensively. "I—"  
  
"Listen, Maggie, because we're almost there," Jack cut me off. "We're going to find out exactly where Dunnmore's new palace is, and then I need you to do whatever you can to get your job back."  
  
"What if I can't get my job back? Dunnmore was reluctant to hire me the first time; I doubted he'd do it again."  
  
"Then we go to Plan B. But assuming that you are rehired, ye have three days to find that map."  
  
By then we had reached Port Royal. The streets and sidewalks were crowded with all manner of people going about their daily lives; carriages rattled over the cobble-stoned streets, servants brought food home from the market, well-dressed gentry strolled along the sidewalk, and occasionally a group of soldiers marched by, on some official business. I smiled a little at the familiar scene; I had not realized how much I missed city life.   
  
I brushed past a gentleman in a fine brocaded waistcoat, and slid my hand into his pocket and pulled out a heavy velvet purse. Time seemed to freeze as I waited for him to turn around and shout at the little wretch who had tried to relieve him of a good deal of money. But nothing happened. Time sped up again as the gentleman walked blithely away, and I grinned as I pocketed his purse. I loved the city.   
  
Jack had ordered me to stay a good distance behind him, so no one could associate us together. If anyone asked, I was completely innocent: I had escaped the pirate ship at some port and made my way to the only city where I could find a familiar soul. I was deeply traumatized by my experience aboard the Pearl. I did not talk about it.  
  
Following Jack through the maze of streets was quite difficult, for I kept losing him in the crowds, and I would walk slower, and stand on my tip- toes until I could catch another sight of his red bandana, then I sped up to get closer. He turned onto yet another street, and I hurried after him. This time, however, I knew I had lost him for good. There were only a few people walking down this narrow dirt avenue, and a dreadlocked pirate with a slightly drunken gait was not one of them.  
  
I swore under my breath and looked around. There was a smithy behind me, and a general store and a small pub across the street. _Bloody pirate_, I thought. _Can't even go a few bloody hours without a bloody pint. What the bloody hell am I supposed to now?  
_   
But my thoughts were interrupted when someone grabbed my arm and pulled me roughly into the smithy. I started to scream but a hand covered my mouth, and I found myself looking up into a man's dark, kohl-lined eyes.  
  
"Jack!" I cried when he took his hand from my mouth. I was so relieved to see him that I completely forgot my anger.  
  
"Sorry, Maggie, for the confusion. We have to make a quick detour. Before we can pillage that palace, we have to find it first. And that's where young William comes in."  
  
I turned around to see an incredible attractive man sitting on a bench, in the process of polishing a sword. I racked my mind for something creative and witty to say, but couldn't think of anything, so I just smiled and said, "Hello."  
  
"This is Maggie," Jack rescued me from the Will Effect. "She's 'elping me on this new quest o' mine."  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Maggie," Will said, his polite, refined accent starkly contrasting Jack's rough pirate one. He smiled and shook my hand, and I almost melted. Why was I so upset over some alcoholic scoundrel when I could have a well-mannered, honest, and very handsome man like Will?  
  
Jack picked up a sword that was hanging on a wall and spun it with a flourish before lunging against an invisible challenger. "How's Elizabeth, mate?" He asked absently as he continued to battle the warm air of the smithy. I hoped that Elizabeth was Will's sister.  
  
"Still the epitome of perfection," he sighed. "Only three months till our wedding!" Of course; perfect gentlemen such as Will are always married, or betrothed, or secretly eunuchs, or otherwise completely unavailable.  
  
"Feeling up for one more venture before the big day?" Jack asked slyly as he gave a deadly thrust of his sword into the donkey's bale of hay. Leaving the sword in his victim, he moved and sat across from Will. "Consider it your bachelor party! Only instead of going to Tortuga and celebrating with rum and women, you'll get to fight pirates! What say you to that?"  
  
Will frowned as he got up to pull his sword from the bale of hay. "It hasn't been that long since our last adventure. Elizabeth wouldn't be too pleased."  
  
"You 'aven't married 'er yet, Turner! Yer still a free man."  
  
Will turned Jack's sword in his hand, studying it. Jack picked up the sword Will was polishing and pointed it at him. Will lifted his own sword.   
  
"So what now Jack? Are you going to force me on this quest?" He asked challengingly.   
  
I stared at Will, surprised at his audacity. Was he challenging Jack to a swordfight? And did he really think he'd win? He was not as perfect as I assumed; clearly he lacked a great deal of common sense. I leaned forward with interest as Jack and Will began to fight. I always loved watching Jack duel. The first few hits were very basic, warm-up moves. They stopped in a stalemate, as Jack had forced Will to the far wall.

"If I win," Jack said, "You must join me on this venture, wedding or not." Will struck again, giving a few more easy hits but still pushing Jack back the other side of the smithy. He did have more skill than I gave him credit for.

"And if I win, you find another pirate," Will said. And with that, the real fighting began.  
  
Will was definitely much better than I had thought. He moved with almost as much skill as Jack, and there were times when I actually thought he was going to win. But after several minutes of dazzling swordplay, Jack knocked Will's sword from his hand and pointed his own blade at him.

"Welcome back to the Pearl, mate." Jack said, lowering his sword and grinning. Will groaned, but I could tell that he was not disappointed at all that he was returning to piracy.  
  
"Where do I begin?" Will asked.  
  
"You can start," Jack replied and nodded his head toward me, "by telling this lovely young lady where to find the residence of a Sir Richard Dunnmore. Then I'll begin telling you what you're going to do."  
  
Will gave me the directions and Jack led me to the door to send me on my way.  
  
I didn't want to go. I didn't want to spend three days subject to the whims of the Dunnmores; trying to balance the menial labor they give me with the task of finding and taking a map without anyone noticing. I didn't want to spend three whole days not seeing Jack at all. These next few days were going to be the longest of my life. It took all my self- control to not throw myself at Jack and beg him not to make me go. Instead, I just forced myself to say a simple, "Good bye, Jack."  
  
"See you soon, Maggie," Jack said. "Be careful, love." I turned to go, but Jack grabbed my arm and pulled me back into him. I looked up at him, wondering hopefully why he had pulled me back. "One more thing," he murmured.  
  
"Yes?" I murmured back, leaning forward a little.  
  
Jack studied me for a second. "Try not to do anything stupid."


	7. An Unexpected Arrival

I had no choice but to start my journey to the mansion of Sir Dunnmore. I repeated the directions that Will had given me silently to myself as I turned from the narrow street that the smithy was on to the main avenue of Port Royal. I sauntered down the busy walkway, in no hurry to get to the mansion. Unfortunately, Will had given me the most direct way there, and I found myself standing in front of a grand three-story townhouse in a very upscale neighborhood far sooner than I had expected. Everything about the house and the small but immaculately-kept garden surrounding it gave off a distinct impression of wealth and privilege; and I suddenly became aware that my dress was filthy, faded and torn, and my hair was matted and tangled beyond the help of any ordinary comb, and I probably smelt terrible too. I couldn't just waltz through the front door like I belonged there.  
  
I walked around to the alley and went through the back gate into the small courtyard where the kitchen was. I felt less out of place here; the back of the mansion and the small kitchen building next to it were far less imposing than the front. I stood there for a while, debating how I should make my entrance, when the kitchen door swung open and a familiar figure came out, carrying a basket of eggs. She saw me, and her eyes went wide. The basket fell and the eggs broke at her feet, but she didn't seem to notice.  
  
"What devil sent you, ghost child?" She whispered, crossing herself. The familiar figure was Jane Atwood, Sir Dunnmore's deeply superstitious cook, who had taken on the role of mother toward me when I first came to work for the Dunnmores.  
  
"Jane, I'm not a ghost! It's me, Maggie!"  
  
"Maggie was taken by pirates," Jane said, still staring at me suspiciously.  
  
"I escaped," I said simply, hoping that she'd take the hint and drop questioning. Jane studied me, as if seeing me for the first time.  
  
"Maggie, 'tis really you?" She cried, hugging me. "We'd given you up for dead, or worse! You must be exhausted, and famished! Let's get you something to eat; you're all skin and bones!" Her motherly instincts had kicked in, and she was leading me into the kitchen.  
  
She served me a bowl of beef broth and distractedly went about her real kitchen duties until she was sure that I was done eating. Then she sat down next to me and said, "Oh, I can't believe you're truly here! How on earth did you ever escape?"  
  
I made up a rather clever story about how I escaped the Pearl when we stopped at Tortuga, and bartered passage on to the first merchant ship I found that was going to Port Royal, so I could find someone familiar in this foreign land. To my great relief, Jane believed every word.  
  
"You poor dear!" She exclaimed. "Don't worry about a thing! We'll see Sir Dunnmore right after his dinner and we'll discuss your employment here, and everything will be back to normal."  
  
She guided me to the parlor where Sir Dunnmore retired to after he ate. I waited outside while she announced that he had a guest, then she summoned me in. Well, it was quite obvious that I was the last person he expected to see. His face turned grey and he dropped the pipe he was holding, scattering ashes all over the floor.  
  
"You're not dead!" he said. I relished the look of complete and utter shock on his face.   
  
_Damn right I'm not_, Maggie-the-Pirate thought. _Did you really think that lot of pathetic excuses for pirates would take down the Pearl?_ It was too bad Maggie-the-Humble-Servant couldn't say any of that. I wasn't sure what would be the humble servant response, so I just looked at the pipe ashes smoldering in the expensive Oriental rug and said nothing.  
  
Jane, who was quite unaware that the real reason that Dunnmore was surprised to see me alive was that he tried to kill me himself, said cheerfully, "Maggie managed to escape that awful pirate ship! Fancy that! Will you be hiring her back then?"  
  
Sir Dunnmore looked somewhat dismayed, but was unable to think of a good excuse not to hire me, and was forced to acquiesce.  
  
I started work first thing that next morning. As I had thought, it was insanely difficult to balance the mundane tasks I was assigned to and search for a treasure map at the same time. There were a hundred places in each room where the map could be, and there had to be a hundred rooms in the entire house, not to mention outside in the garden, or in the kitchen, or the servants quarters. It was like searching for the bloody needle in that proverbial haystack. And to make things even worse, Dunnmore kept a sharp and suspicious eye on me whenever he was around. Despite these daunting obstacles, I did manage to do a thorough search of the parlor, the library, and the dining hall. But these rooms were sadly void of anything out of the ordinary, and there were too many more that needed to be searched.  
  
I was losing hope by the third day. I planned out what I would say to Jack as I dusted and polished the base boards in the third story hallway. I needed another day, or two, or ten. His grand scheme would just have to wait until I could find that bloody—  
  
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening and closing again. I looked up to see Sir Dunnmore locking a set of double doors at the end of the hall that I had not noticed before.  
  
"What are you doing here, Miss Elden?" he said angrily, once he saw me.  
  
"Dusting the baseboards, sir, as I was ordered to," I said lightly, giving a small curtsey.  
  
He glared at me formidably, and for the first time I began to realize how dangerous he truly was. "Well I order you take your dusting to another floor," he said coldly. "It would be wise of you to avoid this hall altogether, Miss Elden. We wouldn't want you to be found in the wrong place at the wrong time, would we?"   
He left brusquely. I stayed where I was, staring at those doors at the end of the hall, and feeling quite certain that behind them lay the map I was searching for. 


	8. A Close Call

I would have to act soon. It was nearing the end of my third day at the Dunnmore's, and I was supposed to meet Jack at the smithy around sunset. As soon as I was certain that Dunnmore was gone, I slipped down to the second floor, and into the empty room of Lady Jacqueline. I searched through the piles of useless but pretty junk on her vanity until I found something that could be of use. I studied the long, narrow hatpin, bending it a little to test its strength. Satisfied, I took the hatpin and snuck back upstairs to the double doors at the end of the third story hall.  
  
I put my ear against the door and listened, but I could hear nothing. Taking one last cautionary glance down the hall, I took the hatpin out and started work on picking the lock. This was slow work, and I kept hearing creaks (or footsteps?) at the end of the hall. But luckily there was never anyone down there, and soon I heard the welcome click that signaled that I had successfully unlocked the door. Slowly, I turned the handle and let myself in, then carefully shut and locked the door behind me.  
  
I was standing in an office. In front of me was a massive desk, cluttered with papers and books and maps. I started my search there, studying each map carefully, wondering how the bloody hell I was supposed to know which map was the right one. Frustrated, I sat down in Sir Dunnmore's chair and tried to plan, and noticed a small chest next to the desk. I ran my finger along the design on top of the chest, thinking about how Jack had a trunk very much like this one in his quarters on the Pearl. I missed Jack, and I wondered if he was thinking about me. Probably not. I sighed and stared at the chest, as if the location of the map was written on the top. I just had to think about the situation at hand, and not about Jack. But staring at the trunk made me think of the Pearl, which made me think of Jack. I remember he kept maps or something in his. Maps! This was a map chest! I bent down and flung it open. There were several maps rolled up inside. The map of the cache had to be in here!  
  
I studied each map, not quite sure what I was searching for but fairly certain I would know it when I saw it. I pulled out a smaller, older piece of parchment and unrolled it. It was a map of a small cove with a cave along the shoreline. Someone had also drawn a detailed map of all of the tunnels and chambers inside the cave. The cursive at the top of the page was small and difficult to read, but I managed to make out "Garrett's Cove". This had to be it!  
  
I heard the sound of a key scraping in the lock outside. Startled, I hurriedly looked around for a place to hide. There was a wardrobe against the back wall, and I darted inside and closed the door just as the office doors swung open. I sat as still as I could, hardly daring to breathe as I listened to Sir Dunnmore walk around the room. Silently I folded the map so it would fit in my dress pocket and waited for Dunnmore to leave. He walked closer; he was somewhere near his desk.  
  
"What in the hell...?" I heard him mutter. I stifled a gasp. I forgot to close the chest! I could hear him rustling through the maps. He swore loudly, and slammed the lid closed. I prayed to any god who would listen that he would stay away from the wardrobe. My heart pounded, and my position on the wardrobe floor was growing more and more uncomfortable. The footsteps started again, but luckily they were getting farther and farther away. The office doors opened then slammed shut, and silence rang in the office. I opened the door of the wardrobe carefully, making sure that he was truly gone. I looked around the empty room and sighed, relieved.  
  
As soon as I was certain he was gone, I left the office. The hall and stairs were thankfully empty, and I made it all the way out the back door without being noticed. I almost broke into a run passing the kitchen, but I restrained myself, as running looks a bit suspicious, and I did not want to draw any unnecessary attention to myself. It wasn't until I had made it out of the courtyard and into the back alley did I finally relax. I made it! Now all I had to do was find my way back to the smithy. I was making my way to the main street when a sharp voice stopped me in my tracks.  
  
"Where do you think you're going you thieving little wench?"  
  
I turned around slowly, as if any sudden movements would lead to an attack. Sir Dunnmore was behind me, and I was acutely aware of the map in my pocket. "Jane sent me to market to purchase a fresh fish for dinner tonight, if it please you," I said lightly. I wondered if I could escape alive if I took a run for it.  
  
"That's a bloody lie," he snarled. There was a maniacal gleam in his eye.  
  
"Have you been drinking, sir?" I asked, still trying to act as innocent as I possible could.  
  
With two long strides he was in front of me, and though I tried to back away, he grabbed my wrist and jerked me roughly against the brick wall of the house next door.   
  
"What did you take?" he demanded.  
  
"Sir, I'm as much of a thief as you are." That was close to a confession, in this case. Dunnmore realized this, and used his free hand to hit me across my face. Hard. My head rang from the blow.  
  
"I'll have no more of your impudence! I promise you, Miss Elden, if I find any proof that you did steal from me, you won't live to see your own hanging." He turned and left as abruptly as he came, and I stared after him for a short while, holding my hand against my bruised cheek, before I, too, turned and fled.


	9. The Prancing Parrot

It wasn't long before I slowed my dash to a more inconspicuous walk. I was getting far too many strange looks from everyone else on the street, including some from an overly suspicious navy officer, who even went as far as to ask me if I was alright.

"Yeah—Yes—I'm alright, sir," I stammered in reply, still trying to catch my breath. He stared at my swollen cheek, apparently unconvinced.

"I was only running because I'm rather late. You see, I promised my mother I'd be home before sunset and now the sun's very nearly set and I'm on the wrong side of town and I was only supposed to run a short errand but—"

"Very well, miss," he interrupted, clearly uninterested in my rapidly spun lie. "Are you in any need of accompaniment for the way back? These streets are not the place for a young lady such as yourself after dark."

His patronizing attitude was getting quite irritating. "No sir, I shall be fine."

"Carry on, then," he said, walking away and finally leaving me be. But after another half hour of wandering the streets of Port Royal in the waning daylight I began to regret not asking the officer how to get to the smithy. I was not familiar with this part of the city: on one side of the wide street were huge, looming warehouses, and on the other side was the actual port of Port Royal, where about a dozen ships docked, waiting to be reloaded with cargo from the New World and sent back to Europe. Now the streets were mostly empty, as the sailors and porters who worked there by day had all gone to their homes or to a pub or where-ever.

I turned randomly on to another street, hoping to see either the smithy or Jack or anyone who could point me in the right direction. What I found was the Prancing Parrot, a small, nondescript inn wedged between two warehouses. I went in, vaguely wondering if whoever named this place had ever seen a parrot prance. The inn was crowded with salty sailor-types. I made my way toward the bar in the back and sat down.

"What can I get for you, dear?" the bartender asked kindly.

"A ha'pint, please," I replied.

She returned with my drink and asked, "So what's a young thing like you doing out here?"

The sailor sitting next to me leaned in and added, "There are pirates in these parts, missy! In fact..." at this he lowered his voice, "Rumor has it the Black Pearl is back in Port Royal."

"I've never heard of it," I said coolly, taking a sip of my ale.

"Never heard of it?!" he exclaimed. "'S only the most deadly pirate ship in th' Spanish Main!"

"An' it's captained by the most dangerous pirate in the world!" slurred another sailor sitting on my other side.

"Who?" I asked, even though I was well aware of the answer.

"None other than Jack Sparrow!"

It seemed every sailor at the bar had heard something about Jack.

"I've 'eard 'e's a jonah and can conjure wrecks from the depths of Davy Jones's locker!"

"'E escaped from seventeen East India agents!"

"'E's richer than the kind himself!"

"He sacked Nassau Port without firing a single shot!"

"The French were defending Nassau--- a bunch of children armed with sling shots could have sacked it!"

Everyone laughed at this, except for one sailor who replied in a thick French accent, "I've heard that he disappeared from a heavily defended British fort on the day of his execution!"

The sailors continued to talk about Jack as I asked the bartender how to get to the smithy. She gave me the directions, I left a coin on the bar, and slipped out of the Prancing Parrot.

"Maggie should have been back hours ago!" Jack said anxiously. He was with Will, at the smithy.

"She'll come! Calm down, Jack," Will assured him. Jack still looked nervous.

"I'll bet Dunnmore has something to do with this! I swear I'll kill him when I find him!"

"I thought you were going to do that anyway," Will said.

"Don't you have a sword to polish?" snapped Jack, who was getting very annoyed with the whole conversation.

"I've never seen you this nervous," Will observed. "There's not anything between you and Maggie, is there?"

"No! There isn't! And I'm not! And it's none of your business anyway!"

Will laughed at Jack's outburst. "I didn't think it was possible! Jack's actually in--"

"I'm not!" Jack protested. "And I don't have to listen to this! I'm going to find some rum."

He strode across the smithy and swung open the door and stopped. "Maggie!" he said in surprise.

"Hello," I said, a bit surprised myself. I was just about to knock when the door had opened.

"You're a bit late," he said, grinning.

"I got the map," I said, smiling back.

Suddenly Jack reached out and hugged me. I held him back, wishing that I never had to let go. Will suddenly started coughing rather pointedly. Jack let go of me and gave Will a very dirty look, which he didn't think I saw.

"So let's see that map!" Jack said, suddenly acting like an infamous pirate captain again.

I handed him the map and he studied it, and muttered, "I know where that is!"

We would leave the next morning. I couldn't wait to be back on the Pearl.

[A/N: For everyone who cares about that sort of thing: I am terribly sorry about the 1st person/3rd person switch.  
For everyone else: don't forget to review!]


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